Governor Ron DeSantis is asking the Florida Supreme Court to weigh in on the constitutionality of one of Duval County’s congressional districts.
The court’s decision could help determine whether that district, which was drawn to ensure black Floridians had representation in congress, will stay intact.
“It doesn’t mean a whole lot legally, but politically it certainly could mean a great deal,” said UNF Political science professor Michael Binder.
ORIGINAL STORY >>> Florida Governor’s Office releases proposed congressional map
Binder said the court doesn’t necessarily have to weigh in.
Even so, the Florida House has paused consideration of its proposed congressional map in a wait-and-see posture.
If the court rules District 5 needs to go, there could be some big political shake-ups in Jacksonville.
“If the state Supreme Court says, yeah the Governor’s maps are great, go ahead looks good to me. Suddenly, maybe the House decides to get more aggressive and drawing a more pro-Republican type of map that eliminates CD 5,” said Binder.
CD 5 is currently held by Democratic Congressman Al Lawson.
Binder predicts the map the Governor proposed earlier this month, would likely result in the loss of a Democratic seat here in Jacksonville.
“Suddenly you go from having a 50/50 split in Duval County to a two-nothing Republican,” said Binder.
House Democrats are already predicting if the Governor’s map gets the greenlight, House Republicans are likely to follow the Governor’s lead.
“I think this is just another example of one chamber, very specifically the House, just becoming kind of a subdivision of the Executive Branch,” said House Minority Co-Leader Representative Evan Jenne (D-Hollywood).
Asked Tuesday, the Governor said his interest in the issue doesn’t come from a political posture.
“So obviously we want a map that’s going to withstand scrutiny. We’re in the process of working through it, it’s mostly legal issues, it’s not really political issues. I think we’re gonna be able to get to a good spot and have a good product,” said DeSantis.
But Democrats find the timing of the Governor’s involvement hard to ignore.
“And let’s remember that the Governor first dropped this map on the eve of Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday and then on the first day of Black History Month he’s asking the Supreme Court to issue an opinion on a map that reduces minority representation, particularly Black representation in Congress,” said State Representative Fentrice Driskell (D-Tampa).
Aside from the House hitting the pause button on its congressional map, there hasn’t been much indication from Republican lawmakers that they have a desire to adopt the Governor’s map.
The Senate already passed its map through the full chamber two weeks ago, leaving CD 5 largely unchanged.
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